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Shank Racing hit with big fine after Rolex 24

January 30, 2013

Michael Shank Racing was hit with the biggest fine in Grand-Am history after its Daytona Prototype was found to have an illegal engine. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Grand-Am has levied the most severe penalty in the sanctioning body’s history after the 51st annual Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona endurance race, aimed at Michael Shank Racing, which crossed the finish line in third place overall, and in the Daytona Prototype class. The team was the defending champion from the 2012 race. The engine in Shank’s Ford Riley was apparently found to be illegal, but the finish stands, though – fourth-place Action Express team will not be elevated to third.

The top three finishing cars – the winning Ganassi BMW Riley, the Wayne Taylor Chevrolet Corvette and Shank’s car were impounded immediately after the race, and transported to NASCAR’s technical facility in North Carolina.

Says Grand-Am: “Grand-Am Road Racing has issued monetary and point penalties to the No. 60 Ford/Riley Daytona Prototype entry that competes in the Rolex Sports Car Series, as a result of a rule infraction discovered following the 24-hour season-opening Jan. 26-27 event at Daytona International Speedway. The No. 60 was found in violation of Section 4-1.1 (“Grand-Am will specify components and performance levels in the Specific Car Regulations that must be adhered to”) of the Grand-Am Rule Book. The engine was found with mechanical adjustments resulting in performance levels outside the documented maximums.

“As a result: The team, Michael Shank Racing, will forfeit third-place prize money of $35,000 and has been penalized with the loss of 30 team championship points; drivers Ozz Negri, John Pew, Justin Wilson, Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger have each been penalized 30 driver championship points; Ford has been penalized 30 manufacturer championship points; the team has been penalized one point in the North American Endurance Championship standings; the team has been fined $15,000, payable to Camp Boggy Creek, the official charity of Grand-Am.”

Said Shank: “We are as surprised about this as anyone,” said team owner Mike Shank. “This was an incredible team effort -- not just from John, Justin, Ozz, Marcos, and AJ, but from the entire crew as well as our partners at Roush Yates. We are very proud to work with Ford Racing, and we know that the guys will figure out what when wrong and make sure we are not in this position again. After having fought back from so far down to make it to the podium, it is hard to put into words how disappointing this is.”

The next Grand-Am race in the first weekend in March at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.